The Creative Revolution

When we think of revolutions, you’re probably thinking of redcoats with muskets, french guillotines or Oliver twist-esque factories. But revolutions aren’t just a thing of the past. 

Humans will continue to evolve and create new revolutions. Now, we are about to enter a new age, one that priorities and values creativity above all else. But to understand where we’re going, we’ve got to know where we’ve been.
The industrial revolution refers to one of the most monumental historical shifts in our society. Before the industrial revolution, we lived in an agrarian economy. This meant that society was centred upon the production, consumption, trade and sale of agricultural products. The shift from a rural centric society began in Britain during the 18th century and spread to a global scale thereafter. 

The industrial revolution first affected the technology we used. The use of new materials, primarily iron and steel, the use of new energy sources, the invention of new machinery, and the introduction of the factory system. During this time, society implemented increased division of labour and made huge developments in transport, science and daily tech such as radio. 

This revolution redefined the way we were employed. Our society has always been powered by trading goods for financial gain, but during the industrial revolution, there was a heightened emphasis on the exchange of physical, menial labour in exchange for  financial security. 

The term ‘technological revolution’ refers to when a new technology is invented and adopted by the wider society. In more recent history, the internet caused a massive technological revolution. The world-wide-web changed the way we learn, work and even just exist on a daily basis. Can you remember the last time you went a whole day without using the internet? Me neither. Definitely wasn’t in the last 15 years. 

Manual labour jobs will always exist - the world needs tradesmen, craftsmen and mechanics will continue to be necessary as long as we have the infrastructure that will require physical repair. 

Today, we are standing on the precipice of a new era: welcome to The Creative Revolution. 
When we think about a creative person, we may visualise a person with a paintbrush or pen in hand, ready to create art. This is far removed from our new reality. Creativity can be found anywhere, regardless of your artistic ability. 

Now, creativity is becoming common. 
Creativity has been redefined -  being creative refers to so much more than a physical artwork. Creativity encompasses the way we think and approach tasks, rather than physical creative output. 

Seth Godin is a pioneer of the creative revolution. He explains that “creativity isn’t about painting, or singing, or poetry. It's about all of these, and it's also about office work, meetings, and all the work that leaders need to embrace as well. You can choose to be creative.” 

Todd Henry, author and speaker describes himself as the “arms dealer for the creative revolution”, equipping us with the tools to use creativity in our daily lives. “You are creative because you have to solve problems every single day” he explains. “You’re inventing new things, new systems, your helping people solve their problems. That is a creative act.” 

The tables are finally turning in favour of creatives. At Peak, we believe that if you have a brain, you are creative. The Creative Revolution is ushering in a new age of importance upon the arts, and thinking creatively.